In the Arms of the Ocean: Naley
by XOitsmeclaraOX
Summary: Just a little inset of scenes that I believe would have been perfect between 9x11 and 9x12, meaning everything up to 9x13. Nathan and Haley readjust after the traumatic experience.


Disclaimer! I own NOTHING! All of the characters are Mark Schwahn's and the CW's! I only take credit for the storyline.

Hi guys! This is my FIRST story ever! I've been reading Naley FanFiction for about 3 years now, and I've always wanted to write my own. I am really self-conscious so I simply thought that it was frivolous of me to attempt to even write. However, writing is my all time favorite thing in the world, and writing essays in school for me is relatively easy. I literally just let my fingers type and the words just flow out uncontrollably. Thus, this fic is kind of long I guess, and I decided a little one-shot wasn't enough, so I split it into a few scenes! At first I didn't think I'd have enough to write but as soon as I began to type, I just entered my little Naley world! Please, please review and let me know what you guys think so I know if this is horrible or decent! Lol! Also, please don't kill me with the Season 5 throwback! I was just feeling miserable and nostalgic about that tragic time in Naley history, so I decided to share my misery with you guys! Haha, I hope you enjoy, and you're not too confused by all the shifts in scenes. XOXO, Clara

**In the Arms of the Ocean**

Only 6 days had passed since Nathan had come home. Haley found herself peppering light kisses over his face every second of the day. The feeling of his rough skin against her delicate fingers was the most blissful sensation she had felt in weeks. She tended to his scars and bruises as if he were the most precious porcelain doll, lightly applying cream and bandages, and finishing each one off with the slightest kiss on each wound. It had become a nightly routine for them both Nathan had come to understand that it was her way of dealing with everything.

Nathan had just finished kissing Lydia and Jamie and tucking them into bed, when he slowly encroached upon Haley's hunched form. She was in the bathroom leaning over the counter, scrounging up all of the items she needed for their said nightly ritual. She was in loose fitting sweatpants, and wearing his prized Bobcats sweatshirt. That was another outlet for Haley to deal with her traumatic experience. She would wear his clothing around the house and to sleep every night. When Nathan was missing she would lie on their huge, empty bed and cry herself to sleep. She would inhale the lingering scent of her husband that remained on his pillow. She didn't dare wash the pillow or change the sheets, something OCD Haley would have never done be it different circumstances. She would put on his clothing and just sleep herself into oblivion, where she would dream of him and everything seemed to be okay. Nathan knew this, as Jamie told him all about his mom's actions while he was gone. He felt so guilty for taking that stupid trip to Europe. He would never forgive himself for not putting his family first.

He was snapped out of his thoughts as Haley approached him. She placed her hand on the side of his face, lightly grazing her thumb on the protruding scar that found itself under his left eye.

"Does it still hurt?," Haley asked, and he was amazed at how tender her touch was, and how soft her voice was. It was so calming. She began to apply a small amount of the ointment to his jagged scar.

"Not as much as before. Thanks, baby. For taking care of me." Nathan gazed at her adoringly, until the moment was ruined as he heard her mutter a slur of expletives. "Damnit! Damnit! It's the fifth one this week!" Haley kept squeezing the tube, hoping to salvage the remaining cream to at least finish his face. "Come on, I just need a little bit more! Argh!"

"Hales. I really don't need anymore cream or bandages. You know I have a really amazing wife that really knows how to take care of all of my needs—needs that don't involve ointments," Nathan whispered, that familiar smirk etched on his face, and a glint in his eye. Haley recognized that look all too well.

"Nathan! Seriously this is not the time for you to seduce me. I am standing here freaking out because we already ran out of freaking Neosporin after I bought 5 packs, Nathan! Five! In the past week we have run out of the damn cream and now I can't finish!" Haley retreated from Nathan's body and kept scrambling around the counter of their bathroom, muttering a jumble of words that were indecipherable. Nathan just stood there in admiration of his oh so sexy wife, chuckling at her rambling antics. She hadn't changed a bit since high school.

"Baby, you need to stop worrying about every little detail, okay? So what. The cream is finished. That's fine. Just—just please. I need you to stop and relax. I know these past few weeks have been hell for you, and you have me to blame." Nathan's tone took a haltingly melancholy turn as he analyzed his wife's actions, to be more than they superficially appeared to be. She didn't really care about the cream, she was feeling guilty for what happened to him. She needed to feel in control about something, or she'd lose her mind. That's how Haley always was.

Haley looked at him, tears threatening to spill from her soulful brown eyes. She spoke so softly, with such vulnerability. "No! Oh god, Nathan don't you dare feel like this is your fault. I just—I'm trying to have everything under control and its just falling apart! I feel helpless and I just want to make sure you're fine and I need everything to be perfect! The damn cream is just the icing on the cake, isn't it? God, Nathan, ever since you've been home I cannot go more than 20 minutes without knowing your whereabouts. And the nightmares are still tearing me apart!" She began to cry, unable to hold in her emotions any longer. Just like that day at the hospital when Nathan saw Lydia walking for the first time. She was tired of keeping it together for so long. The façade was slowly fading away.

Nathan felt his heart constrict at the sight of his petite wife covering her face with her small hands, hearing her sobs as she had yet another breakdown. It was already the fourth time since he'd been back. He was so worried about her. It broke him to know how much his absence hurt his family, especially his wife who was always so strong, so unbreakable.

He approached her without hesitance and swiftly wrapped her in his comforting arms. Her small frame instantly melded with his large one. He couldn't help but think that they just fit together so perfectly.

"It's okay, Hales. Come on, baby. Shh. I'm here and I promise you I'm not going anywhere. I love you so much, Hales. So much." He began to feel a mist of tears begin to peek out from his eyes, but he didn't dare be so selfish as to cry in front of her. He couldn't break down in front of her and pray that she would comfort him. He couldn't revel in her kindness at this moment, because she needed him more than he needed her.

"I love you, too, Nathan. I missed you so much when you were gone," she spoke, trying to muffle her sobs. "I kept calling your cell. I just needed to hear your voice. And I know it isn't fair to tell you all of this but you don't understand how I felt when they said they had identified a body. I will not survive if you're not here with me, Nathan, I swear I won't be able to."

"You'll never have to wonder that again, Haley. I swear. No more traveling." He lifted his head up from where it had naturally found its way into the crook of her neck. He sighed loudly, which didn't go unrecognized by Haley. He felt her head shift a little to gaze at him for a moment and waited for him to continue. "I feel so guilty for everything. I mean, the point was to quit basketball and spend more time at home but lately the company has been consuming all of my time. It wasn't fair for me to come home and leave abruptly to Europe. I'm sorry, Hales."

She didn't feel the need to respond. He knew that she didn't blame it on him. The unspoken silence was welcomed by them both. They stayed there, just in each others arms, standing in the most unromantic place in the world, yet it felt like the Eiffel tower was behind them.

After a few minutes, Haley furiously wiped at her tear-stained face, ridding her marred face of the moisture. Nathan held her face so lovingly in his hands, rubbing the pads of his thumbs beneath her eyes. He grabbed Haley's hands and kissed each finger, and then her palms.

"I love you, Haley." Nathan uttered, with such conviction, that it took Haley's breath away. Haley inherently responded, "I love you, too." Though it had been a mere 10 minutes since they had last uttered those words to each other, they felt this overwhelming need to reassure the other.

Nathan slowly leaned down to her, as he cradled her face in his rough hands. He placed feather-light kisses on her forehead, cheeks, nose, temple, jaw, and the corner of her mouth. He heard her sigh. "God, Nathan. Stop being such a tease and kiss me already!" Haley's words reverberated throughout the small bathroom, and Nathan couldn't help but laugh. "A little impatient aren't we, Mrs. Scott? If I recall it was you who shut down my advances to seduce you earlier tonight." Nathan's tone was playful and flirty, and Haley muttered a quick "shut up," as she crashed her lips onto his. The kiss was not forceful like it had been the first time she saw him in that hospital hallway. It was soft and sweet.

Their kiss began to escalate, and each began to grab the other, trying to get closer. Haley was grasping the front of Nathan's shirt as if her life depended on it. Nathan's fingers were tangled in her honey-blonde locks as he pushed her head closer to his, a task that proved to be physically impossible.

"Mmm, Nathan," she moaned, and Nathan took this as an opportunity to begin to pepper butterfly kisses down her neck and collarbone. Her lips were intoxicating, and he couldn't hold himself back. He quickly lifted his head back to parallel hers, and kissed her hungrily. Right on cue, Haley's phone began to ring.

"Ignore it, baby," Haley managed to choke out, as she felt Nathan's warm touch leave her slightly. Nathan had no problem complying with his wife's orders and he went back to his ministrations on her neck. The phone kept ringing, and it just wouldn't stop.

"Damnit!, Oh, it's Brooke. I swear I love that girl to death but god,

does she know how to cockblock!" Haley said with a slightly irritated tone. Brooke was her best friend but her timing was damn near impeccable. She thought back to the first day in the hospital when she was practically on Nathan's lap, talking about Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream, and her lips had barely touched Nathan's when she decided to stampede into the room and hug him.

"Tell me about it. It's like she's totally not on team Naley anymore. She's like back to being a Clean Teen." Nathan said, mirroring his wife's annoyed tone.

"Babe, you totally did not refer to us as Naley right now, did you?" Haley couldn't contain her laughter. They hadn't been called 'Naley' since high school.

"Shut up, you dork. Just answer her and tell her she won't be having anymore godchildren if she keeps interrupting our sex time." Nathan said.

Haley felt the room shift vibes. He wanted another baby? They had spoken about having a house full of kids back on their 7th anniversary. And she felt stupid for feeling kind of emotional over something so anticipated for a married couple. But with Nathan's absence and now his return, she felt that every little thing he said was magnified.

"You want another baby?" Haley's voice sounded sort of unsure, and hesitant. She didn't want to misinterpret Nathan's words to be something so huge, when perhaps he was trying to tease Brooke.

"Of course I do, Hales. I already told you, I want as many babies as you want to give me. And you know, we're really, really good at the baby-making part. I mean, we might as well practice as much as we can. You can never practice enough, babe. Lessons of life, coming from an NBA star himself," Nathan said, his signature smirk ever present.

"Oh really?" Haley teased, turning off her phone, and slowly sauntering her way towards Nathan once again. "Brooke will just have to wait. I mean we're going to be pretty busy for the night, don't you think, baby?" Nathan just inaudibly shook his head, a grin as wide as a 5 year old's on his face. Haley pulled him back to her and they spent the night doing exactly what they'd said they'd do. Jamie and Lydia would definitely get another sibling. They were sure of it.

NaleyNaleyNaley (break in scenes!)

Haley woke up in the middle of the night. Something she had found herself doing constantly since Nathan's return. She knew it wasn't normal or healthy to be waking up at 3-hour intervals to simply check that her husband was in fact snuggled up beside her, sharing their bed. She was used to the waking up part, though, even though Lydia doesn't do that 4 am thing anymore.

Her hand reached out to feel the muscles of Nathan's taut back lying beside her, and she panicked when she felt cool sheets beneath her fingertips. She knew she was being unreasonable as thoughts began to invade her mind. However, her body had a mind of its own as she dashed out of their room in record speed. She first checked to make sure Lydia and Jamie were still safely tucked in and sleeping. She tiptoed down the stairs to their large home, and found the door to the backyard slightly ajar.

The sight she saw next broke her heart into a million tiny pieces. There was Nathan, her strong husband, leaning forward against the railing outside their home in the backyard. She knew this was the spot where he would always go and think. She tentatively took a few steps forward and realized his beautiful face was marred with hot tears rolling down his cheeks. She was taken aback. Nathan had said he was okay. Why was he now crying?

She was at a loss for words. She didn't even register what she was going to say before her mouth simply uttered, "Nathan," in the most broken, chilling voice he had ever heard. He turned around, furiously wiping at his own tears, trying to rid them of his face so that Haley wouldn't think he was actually crying. He needed to be strong for her. God knows she's been through too much.

Haley realized that he was ashamed, which broke her heart a little more.

"Nathan. Oh my god. I'm sorry! I've been so selfish these past few days. You're the one who survived a near-death experience and here I am begging you for attention and crying. I didn't even give you a chance to open up to me." Haley's words were self-loathing. She was so angry at herself.

Nathan was once again wowed by his wife's uncanny ability to always place the responsibility upon herself, and always take other's feelings into consideration before hers. He approached her, grabbing her hands and leading them to the plush couch on the side of the pool, which was now reflecting the moonlight.

"Haley. I—I don't want to keep anything from you. But I'm ashamed to break down in front of you. I need to be the strong one for you, and Jamie, and Lydia. You're the one who's supposed to cry and I'm the one who's supposed to open my arms and hold you," Nathan uttered with a voice so broken, Haley barely heard his words. She could tell he was holding back his tears.

"Nathan. I need you to open up to me and let me in. You've been through so much. _We've_ been through so much lately, and it's normal for you to break down. I need you to talk to me," Haley said, as she delicately stroked Nathan's cheek, feeling the contours of his strong jaw beneath her fingers. Her voice was pleading, and Nathan knew this was a battle he had lost.

"Hales. I was so scared. So damn scared that I would never see you again. Or see our beautiful son and daughter. It tore me apart. I didn't care if they killed me for my sake. All I could think about was what you would do if I never came home to you." At this confession, Haley inhaled a sharp breath, this man did everything for her. Just like the story with the mint chocolate chip ice cream.

"Sometimes I allowed myself to think selfishly and fear never coming home to you, because I craved your warm touch, your beautiful smile, your kisses, just everything about you." Haley was just squeezing his hands in response, urging him to keep talking, never loosening her grip.

"And then I would internally reprimand myself and think of how broken you probably were. Not knowing where I was, taking care of our children, and constantly looking at their faces and being reminded that I was not home. You didn't know where I was." At this, Haley finally let out a small sob that she had been holding back. Nathan was acting in such a heroic manner. He was acting like she was the victim. He was so selfless and she couldn't help but fall more in love with him at that moment.

"And then the whole thing with Dan happened. I mean, if you would have told me 6 years ago that I'd be crying at my father's death, I would have laughed in your face." She nodded silently in understanding.

"But you didn't see him in there Haley. He saved me. In every way possible he physically shielded me from a bullet. I guess its karma that I realize I have a relationship worth saving with my own father after years of estrangement, at the time of his death. I don't hate him anymore. And I should. I mean, he killed Keith. But after talking to him, I forgave him. I will never forget what he has done. But I love him," Nathan choked out that last part with a sob of his own. Haley immediately began to cradle his head in her neck, hugging him tightly to her own body. She situated herself on top of his lap as he extended his legs over the large couch. She was consoling him. Comforting him in the way that she would console Lydia after she fell and scraped her arm. He was so broken, and she was the only one who could fix him.

After a few minutes of letting him cry on top of her, and her crying into him as well, they both lifted their heads and couldn't help but smile. After everything they have been through in the past 9 years, she's still his always and he would still be her forever. No one else would be able to fill the other's void in their hearts, and their life.

He looked into her eyes, and she felt a shiver. A tingle shot straight up her spine. She couldn't believe her body still reacted that way to his gaze after 9 years. She now realized that feeling would never waver, just like their love.

"Thank you for holding me, baby. Although I kind of think my masculinity and my ego is kind of bruised now. I'm the one who's supposed to be hugging you while you cry in my arms." Nathan slightly chuckled as he finished speaking. Haley smiled and responded to him. "I'd hardly say you lost your masculinity, Nathan." She coyly responded, as she ran her hands down his hard muscles and bit her lip. Something Nathan loved about her. It was just so innocent, yet sexy.

Nathan reverted back to the solemn mood. He needed to tell Haley something else before they could joke around. Just like he had told her in Utah. He felt like he had broken her, and taken advantage of her strength.

"Hales. I just—I want to tell you how happy you make me. I know I don't tell you enough. You've saved me every way that counts. You changed me and entranced me when I was 16 years old, and I've never been the same. I am so insanely in love with you, baby. I still can't believe I ended up with you. You're my everything, and I feel like sometimes I don't deserve you." He quietly admitted. Haley felt another tear stream down her face. He was just too self-conscious.

"I love you, too, Nathan. And I know this may be the wrong time to tell you, but I cant help but think back to another conversation we had when Jamie was little. I told you that I shouldn't have tried to fix you. I didn't mean it, Nathan. I was hurt. I just remembered it while you were gone. It was one of the many scenes that played in my mind as I would go back in time and remember all the times I was a fool to let you go. Because I desperately needed you back. I hated myself for pushing you away all those times that I did." Nathan placed his forefinger and his thumb, gently holding her chin and lifting her head up to his. He placed a chaste kiss upon her lips and just kept his forehead pressed to hers.

"I know you didn't mean it, Hales. I was also hurt and I deserved every word you spoke that day." Haley sighed, but then reveled in his warm touch and snuggled further into him, dropping the conversation. Haley yawned and murmured to him. "I'm tired, Nathan. Let's just go to bed and you can hold me." Nathan never heard sweeter words. He smiled at her and clasped his fingers with hers and he gently lead them to their bedroom, where they spent the rest of the night snuggled in bed. Their limbs tangled, her head resting on his chest, the beat of his heart lulling her to sleep. "Sweet dreams, angel," he said to her. She smiled as she remembered their conversation, which took place mere weeks ago, yet it felt like years. "Goodnight, Nathan. I love you." Nathan just wrapped his arms tighter around her and whispered, "I love you, too," his voice thick with sleep. Within minutes, all that could be heard was the sound of their breaths in the quiet night.

NaleyNaleyNaley (ends scene)

The Scott family had just finished eating a delicious breakfast that Nathan and Jamie had prepared. With the help of Lydia of course! Haley awoke to see her three favorite people crammed over the stove in the kitchen, flipping chocolate chip pancakes. Lydia was sitting on the countertop, the coveted pink moose in her tiny little hands. She was cooing and flailing her arms when she saw Haley. She knew her momma.

"Hi baby! Good morning, sweetheart. Mommy missed you so much yesterday. Were you out with your aunt Brooke? Yes you were, baby!" Haley cooed, listening to her husband laugh in the background. Jamie as well.

"Mom, you sound like a five year old. Its embarrassing me!" Jamie said, mocking his mom in a playful tone. Nathan joined in. "Yeah, Hales. I mean I knew I married a 5 year old when her favorite food was mac and cheese but you're not giving yourself much credit right now!"

Haley could only laugh with them, and pick her daughter up in her arms. "Mommy doesn't care what daddy and Jamie say! Because you're my little baby girl! Yes you are!" Haley continued cooing at her daughter, and she suddenly gasped. "Oh Nathan! I just remembered! Brooke and Julian needed to borrow one of our spare rooms to put some of their boxes in. The moving truck left half of the load in their old house because of Easter, and now the new couple won't stop asking when they could move in."

Nathan took a moment to take in his surroundings. His sexy as hell wife was standing in front of him, in a pair of shorts that didn't leave much to the imagination. Her spaghetti strap tank top was thinner than paper, and he could see everything. Given, she was wearing a robe on top. But Nathan had memorized every curve of her body, and all he needed was that slight opening to the front of the robe for him to lose all senses. "Nathan! Are you listening to me?" Haley said, jolting him out of his thoughts.

"Yeah, Hales. Sorry. I just got distracted by your choice of attire," he said, as he provocatively winked at his wife. Making sure Jamie was not looking, of course.

Haley pretended to act shocked, but she knew her husband way too well. His libido was insatiable. Hell, she had to admit. Hers was pretty much the same way, and that was only because she married a Greek Adonis.

After the kitchen was clean and they all had their breakfast, they all moved into the spare bedroom to clear it out, letting Julian and Brooke have their space later on. Nathan spotted a box in the corner of the walk-in closet. Upon closer inspection, he saw the label it read: "Nathan and Haley's Apartment." Nathan smiled. This held all of their memorabilia from high school.

He saw Haley was still holding Lydia's hand as she walked into the room, Jamie closely behind. "Hey, Hales! Come look at what I found!" Haley ventured further into the room and found Nathan in the closet, huddled over a cardboard box. She grinned upon reading the label. "Let's dig through it!" Haley jubilantly declared. She bounced onto the floor and dragged the box with her, situating Lydia and Jamie beside her. Nathan smiled at his wife's juvenile actions. She was _such_ a five year old.

They sorted through pictures of away games, Haley's pregnant belly when she was pregnant with Jamie. And then suddenly, Jamie pulled out a bracelet. He questioned, "Hey mom? What's this bracelet from? It's kind of old and no offense dad, but you have no game if you actually gave mom a plastic bracelet. Madison would never want a plastic bracelet!"

Haley couldn't help but feel misty-eyed. She gently grabbed the bracelet from Jamie's hands and placed it into Nathan's awaiting palm. "Aw, baby. This is where it all started." She wistfully smiled at him. "Nine years, a son and a daughter later. Who would have thought, Mr. Touchdowns, huh?" She smiled good-naturedly. Nathan smiled back. He placed the bracelet around her wrist and caressed her wrists for a few seconds. "Don't say you never gave me anything, baby. You've given me everything and more than I ever imagined." They slowly closed the distance between them and shared a chaste but passionate kiss. Jamie was there, and he was beginning to catch onto his parent's "bunny-rabbit" ways. They were always lip-locking, and Jamie thought it was gross. They slowly released each other and just smiled as she fingered the bracelet on her wrist, admiring it.

Their moment was interrupted by Lydia. "Dada." Nathan froze. He couldn't believe it. Was this a dream? It was too surreal. He knew he had missed the most crucial steps in her life especially her taking her first steps. This moment just overcompensated everything else he had missed. He looked questioningly at Haley. She was also in shock. Her mouth open agape. "Nathan! I think she just said her first word!"

Nathan picked Lydia up from her position on the floor. She was just mindlessly playing with her favorite pink moose that her daddy got her and she was making her incoherent baby babbles she always made. "What did you say, princess? Did you say 'Dada'? Say it again for daddy, baby!" Nathan couldn't even contain his excitement as he spoke to her. He sounded like a desperate toddler begging for a cookie before dinnertime.

Lydia immediately felt comfort in her daddy's arms, and she smacked a loud, slobbery kiss on his cheek. "Dada!" Dada!" She repeated those words, as she clapped her hands loudly, jumping up and down on Nathan's lap. Nathan and Haley were gazing adoringly at their daughter, both still trying to register what had just transpired. Haley never felt more full of joy in her life. She knew this was the final straw that Nathan needed to finally let go of his guilt for not being there for all of the little moments in her life as he had been with Jamie.

"Yay, baby girl! You said 'dada!' Say it again!" Haley said, still needing to hear her say those words again and again. It felt so good. Jamie was also in shock. Sitting there beside his parents, he couldn't help but feel proud of his sister. "I totally taught her to say Dada first, dad. I promise! I am totally the best big brother, ever. Like even better than Uncle Luke was to you!" Jamie teased, earning laughs from his mom and dad, and even Lydia. She wrapped her little arms around her parents and kept giggling and saying 'Dada.' Her little teeth were beginning to protrude through her gums, making her look cuter than ever.

Lydia then grabbed her dad's face with one hand, and her mom's with the other. She pushed their faces together. "Do you want me to kiss daddy, baby? Yeah?" Haley cooed to her. Lydia just clapped her hands excitedly and made a kissy mouth. Nathan swooped in and kissed his wife smack on the lips. Then he went on to pop a loud kiss onto Lydia's stomach. Nathan and Haley both turned to look at each other lovingly.

Nathan and Haley just reveled in that moment. Their children were growing up. They looked at the picture of them both from that dinner back in high school where Whitey spoke, and they just looked so in love. She was pregnant, and Nathan's hands were protectively over her protruding stomach. She couldn't help but want to cry as she saw how old her little baby boy was. He had grown into a little man already! They both knew that everything was going to be just fine. Always and Forever still had a long way to go.

P.S. I know Lydia already kind of speaks on the show, like I've heard her mumble Mama a few times, but for the sake of this fic, she never spoke her first words yet! Oh, and that cock-block comment was not a hate on Brooke! Just, if you're a true Naley fan, you know that needed to be addressed! Lol.


End file.
